


i told you to run so we'd both be free

by ackermanx



Category: Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
Genre: F/F, Other characters mentioned - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-16
Updated: 2017-10-16
Packaged: 2019-01-18 06:01:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12382341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ackermanx/pseuds/ackermanx
Summary: goretober day 3: hanging





	i told you to run so we'd both be free

**Author's Note:**

> please don't kill me

"It's not fair," L'Arachel whispers through her tears. "It's not fair, you did nothing wrong, I should be going up there instead of you."

 

"When has life ever been fair to us, dearest?" Eirika murmurs, lightly stroking L'Arachel's back as she continues to hiccup through her sobs. "And besides, at the very least, I'll die knowing that I did so for a good cause."

 

L'Arachel opens her mouth - to say what, she doesn't quite know, but she never gets the chance because the announcer calls "Eirika of Renais, convicted of killing three officials during a scuffle in town square, please step up to the block."

 

" _Don't_ go," L'Arachel tries to say, but the words get stuck in her throat and the last thing she can bear to see is Eirika mouthing _run_ before the rope drops around her neck.

 

* * *

 

 

A week or two after the incident, L'Arachel doesn't know what to do.

 

She can't even find the enrgy to adopt her normal cheerfully overdramatic personality. Ephraim, the densest person in all of Renais combined, had even noticed - during his visit two days ago, he had blurted out "you're not the L'Arachel I know" before Tana had _gently persuaded_ him to use more tact.

 

L'Arachel could only smile and nod, because to be completely honest? She wouldn't be able to recognize herself, either.

 

She's tired, she thinks. Tired of all the endless anger in her aimed at the terrible excuse of a government (because no one was wondering what the officials were doing when Eirika had found them, were they?). Tired of all the emptiness, tired of all the forced routines, tired of her own inability to _move on, she has supportive friends and possibly family she could turn to, why was this so hard?_

 

In the end, L'Arachel still doesn't know. So instead of trying to think too hard, she climbs back into bed and goes back to sleep.

 

* * *

 

 

Sleep, the one place where she knows she can see Eirika again.

 

It's always bittersweet, because the dreams are a gamble. Sometimes Eirika appears happy and smiling and drawing L'Arachel into her arms as if nothing had happened. Sometimes (most of the time, really) she's there, but L'Arachel is just one step too late to save her, and she has to watch her love die in front of her again and again and _again_.

 

But tonight is different, for some unknown reason. Tonight, when L'Arachel slips into the dream world, she sees Eirika standing underneath the tree where she died, waiting for L'Arachel to arrive.

 

"Darling! What a nice surprise." L'Arachel beams, and this time, _this time_ it's a genuine smile. "Long time no see. It's getting lonely here, without you to be eighty percent of my impulse control."

 

Eirika just smiles and reaches out a hand to grasp one of L'Arachel's. "Please, don't worry so. I'll always be with you, waiting. You do know that, don't you?"

 

"Of course, silly! How could I not, when you're reminding me of that every day in my dreams? Oh, but I - "

 

A white light takes over L'Arachel's surroundings, blinding her dream self and taking her back to cold, cold reality.

 

"I just wanted to say, I still love you so," she whispers into the dark.

 

She stays like that for a few more moments, with the covers bunched up around her chest and tears still drying on her face, until she realizes _oh, I know what I want to do now._

 

* * *

 

 

L'Arachel stands underneath the tree, staring straight up at the sky and pretending that Eirika is right next to her.

 

"I'm sorry, love," she smiles, feeling at peace for the first time in a while. "I know you'd want me to live, to find someone else, to be happy, but I can't. I can't because you're not here, and I can't because I just know I'll do something drastic if I'm left here. So see you soon darling. And please try not to be too mad?"

 

With that, L'Arachel kicks out the box from underneath her and lets herself fall.


End file.
